


Would you Like to Stay Forever...?

by 6Space_Witch9



Category: Star Wars - All Media Types, Star Wars: The Clone Wars (2008) - All Media Types
Genre: Abandonment, Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Arranged Marriage, Assassination Attempt(s), Banter, Chronic Pain, Clone Trooper Culture (Star Wars), Controlling families, Courting Rituals, Disabled Character(s), Discrimination, Distrust, Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Fake/Pretend Relationship, Heartbreak, Jedi Ahsoka Tano, Jedi Culture Respected, Lovers To Enemies, Meeting the Parents, Mental Health Issues, Mistaken for Being in a Relationship, Misunderstandings, Multi, Mute Fox, Mutual Pining, Not Actually Unrequited Love, Order 66 Didn't Happen (Star Wars), Past Violence, Planet Stewjon (Star Wars), Political Alliances, Politics, Post-Break Up, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Rating May Change, Reconciliation, SO MUCH BANTER, Sign Language, Since Disney is too cowardly I’ll put the gays in space myself, Supreme Chancellor Organa, Think the Bachelor but he doesnt wanna be there, Unlearning ableism, Working title: Homos in Space, Worldbuilding, and when i say enemies, but they can’t see it, everyone is a BAMF, i mean awkward exes
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-29
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-11 02:34:42
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 6
Words: 16,867
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28407825
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/6Space_Witch9/pseuds/6Space_Witch9
Summary: “We both know what needs to be done. Obi-Wan, this is goodbye. Go home, they’re waiting for you at the Temple. You have family there, they won’t hurt you, not like we would, not like I would.” Cody pleads even as his voice cracks on the last word.“But you have become my family as well! Why won’t you let me help you?” Obi-wan shouts at him.Or, order 66 never happens as the clones exile themselves to protect the galaxy, only to come back to a new world to extend an olive branch over the rift created between them and the Republic.What could go wrong? It’s not like a Jedi’s long-estranged family will see him as a bartering tool for political gain after a sudden death in the family while he's working as a liaison with a man who forcibly ended their relationship 10 years ago before disappearing...right?
Relationships: Anakin Skywalker & Ahsoka Tano, CC-2224 | Cody & CT-7567 | Rex, CC-2224 | Cody/Obi-Wan Kenobi, CC-5052 | Bly/Aayla Secura, CT-7567 | Rex & Ahsoka Tano, CT-7567 | Rex & Anakin Skywalker, Kit Fisto & Plo Koon & Aayla Secura, Kit Fisto/CT-7567 | Rex, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Ahsoka Tano, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Anakin Skywalker, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Bail Organa, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Mace Windu, Obi-Wan Kenobi & Original Character(s), Padmé Amidala/Anakin Skywalker
Comments: 74
Kudos: 245





	1. Titaenama

**Author's Note:**

> New fic, new fic, new fic. Anyway, I've been doing some housekeeping on my profile and kinda just reorganizing a few current ones so I can start posting all my WIP projects!

_“I’ve told you! This is something you cannot fix!” Cody has never shouted at the General, never. Has never addressed him with acid dripping from every word, but the Jedi’s stubbornness is starting to wear on him when he had wanted to make this quick and painless._

_The Jedi in front of him would push and push and push himself if he thought a situation is savable or redeemable. It had always been the same throughout the war, it was Obi-Wan who made the self-sacrificing calls or had let an injury fester until he was near catatonic with infection. He continued to smile at those who would spit in his face moments after being saved by the Jedi if it meant ending the war faster, if it meant getting closer to peace._

_He trusted the Jedi with his life, through thick and thin, through decimating losses and glorious wins he had never thought to turn his back on the Jedi. But this was different, this was out of their control._

_The older man looks haggard and lost, underneath the mess Cody can see fear as clear as day, fear for him but more importantly fear of him. He should be afraid, they had all read the report Fox had sent out, they all saw the orders, simple voice commands meant to turn them into flesh droids. They would become everything the galaxy thinks them to be at the mere whim of a shadowy figure, he could have the blood of children caked on his armour and he wouldn’t have even known or cared._

_He feels nauseous, sick to his stomach with fear and anger. Mostly anger at his helplessness, it’s as clear as a cloudless day, someone had stripped him of the slim body autonomy he had desperately clung too from the moment he was aware of himself as a person, and to know now that he had never had it makes his blood boil._

_Deep in his brain, his kill switch lays dormant, just waiting._

_“Cody, my dear, we can still fix this, we can find a way to disable the chips.” Obi-wan says desperately._

_It’s late on the Negotiator as he and Obi-Wan have a slowed paced argument that continues to run in circles. He had ordered his men to confine themselves to the barracks, but knowing them they have found a way to listen in on this conversation._

_“But what if we don’t, what if Rex shoots Ahsoka off a cliff or guns down Anakin? What then, who’s next? Plo Koon, Aayla Secura, Luminara Unduli, Mace Windu…Caleb Dune? You Jedi are mortal, while we are genetic experiments designed to be the perfect killing machines, even if some of you can fend us off it will be a bloodbath if someone give us the order.” Cody barks and he can see the abject horror on the Jedi’s face._

_He hates himself for making Obi-Wan feel this way, but he has to shove the man away, his heart aches and desperately wants to reach out and comfort the man. Things have changed so consequentially that he knows for a fact that it is impossible to return to what life was like a week ago. Obi-Wan may be foaming at the mouth trust them and help fix the inhumanity they’ve suffered, but there are millions of clones and thousands of Jedi and he knows damn well that they all don’t think alike._

_“You’re not being fair.” Obi-Wan says with a frown._

_“I’m not trying to be.” Cody replies with a scowl._

_For the sake of the Jedi, for the sake of his brothers, they need to disappear. The Republic is in shambles, it was easy to plan their disappearance with the other commanders, he knows they’re just waiting on him. Waiting for him to break the heart of the only man he has ever felt something for other than brotherly love._

_“We both know what needs to be done. Obi-Wan, this is goodbye. Go home, they’re waiting for you at the Temple. You have family there, they won’t hurt you, not like we would, not like I would.” Cody pleads even as his voice cracks on the last word._

_“But you have become my family as well! Why won’t you let me help you?” Obi-wan shouts at him._

_“I would love for nothing more for you to wave your hand and sprinkle some force magic and make everything okay, but you can’t, and I won’t put you at risk. Don’t make me force you Obi-Wan, please just. Go. Home.” Cody whispers and he can see how Obi-Wan slumps on himself, the last bit of fight dying out._

_He's glad he decided to do this in the hangar next to Obi-Wan’s starfighter, he doesn’t need to add the insult of walking through the halls of the ship he is currently being kicked off to the gaping wound he has already made. They’re close enough to Coruscant that it would only be a few hours to reach the planet from their location in his personal spaceship._

_“Your mind is made up isn’t?” Obi-Wan asks softly with his head bowed._

_“Yes. It is.” He replies, if he squeezes any harder, he’s pretty sure his helmet under his arm would crack in two._

_There’s another weighted pause that hangs in the air between them, obvious and intrusive._

_“Very well, Commander, it was an honour serving with you… I wish you all the best in your future endeavours.” Obi-Wan says as his R4 unit opens the cockpit of his fighter._

_“Obi-Wan, you know that if this was any different, I wouldn’t be forcing you away, but our luck has run out, we always knew it would and I refuse to be the one to kill you, not in this lifetime, or ever.” Cody says sternly, he’s caught off guard when Obi-wan turns to grip him by the lip of his chest piece to drag him into a deep kiss._

_As much as he has tried to be indifferent through the whole confrontation, he can’t help but melt into the kiss._

_“I know my love, I know this may be goodbye but know I will always be with you, no matter where you go. My dearest commander, may the force be with you wherever you go.” Obi-Wan whispers before he pulls away and jumps effortlessly into his starfighter._

_The ship glides out of the hanger and is lifted off the landing strip by the weightlessness of space. He ignores how his heart knocks painfully at his chest as he watches the fighter lock into the hyperspace ring. He watches as it rises higher and higher into open space before it powers up and disappears into the stars._

_“May the force be with you as well, Obi-wan Kenobi.” He says with a sigh._

_It is time that he disappears as well._

* * *

Sun abruptly blasts into his retinas through his eyelids like a slap to the face in an unwelcome brightness and he lets out a moan of discomfort. He tries rolling away from the bright, smoky light that he knows is from the yellow gas giant that their planet circles. His eyes are grimy from the sleep he doesn’t feel and his head pounds in protest.

The reoccurring dream of the last time he had ever seen Obi-wan has played in his mind on a loop for the past week, robbing him of any restful sleep. He groans again as he rolls over to fall back asleep trying to burrow his face into the expensive sheets Boil had gifted him a week ago. But, he knows that trying to sleep again is a battle already lost.

Usually, his blackout curtains do their job of keeping the bright sunlight out, especially during their current summer season when the sun rises exceptionally early. He knows only one person would go out of their way to make the morning as cheery as possible even when Cody feels like death reheated.

“Good morning Sol'yc Alor! it is currently 8.05 in the morning, today is 270th day of the cycle year 9BBY on planet Titaenama. Should I inform the other Alor to delay the meeting?” A tinny voice asks.

“No, no Tib, I’m awake, I’ll be down in time for the meeting. Who’s coming this morning?” Cody asks as he scrubs his face roughly. Even after all these years the title still feels slightly odd.

“Alor Rex, Bly, Neyo and Wolffe sir, I do believe it is to discuss expanding the capital, experimenting with a new harvest next season as well as the tradable resources and the next bounty excursions.” Tib says, their words buzzing slightly at the end of the sentence.

“Thank you Tib, can you start a pot of caf for me please?” Cody asks and the little droid gives a sharp salute before they hover away, off to complete the very important task of morning caffeine for the first chief of their colonized planet.

Rolling out of bed he bumbles his way to the living room so he can start his morning. He starts with his stretches as the smell of freshly brewing caf envelopes the sprawling penthouse. It’s more space than he thought he would ever see in his lifetime or even claim as his. It definitely isn't the cabin-office hybrid he had crammed himself into during the war.

Mid-stretch his back gives a sudden pop as he bends down a little too far and he grimaces.

A little blackmail there and a little intimidation here had allowed reluctant biologists to halt their rapid ageing eight years ago, thankfully. But, he still feels every single one of his 40 years. He’s not 20 anymore, that’s for sure. Another stretch bends him too far over and his knee cracks loudly. Kicking droids continuously for 2 and a half years had definitely taken a toll on his body, but back then he hadn’t expected to live this long, but he has.

If there’s one thing he’s grateful for it is the solitude his house offers, no one needs to hear him cracking and groaning at 8 in the morning. When he's about halfway through his routine, his stomach starts to rumble and he debates asking Tib to start breakfast as well, the meeting will be long and arduous, but while unpleasant they needed to get done for the sake of their home.

When they had abandoned the Republic and had deserted the only life they had known with nothing but the armour on their backs and a fleet of stolen cruisers, his outlook had been bleak. Bt now, gazing at his city, he can say every challenge was worth it, his brothers have a home.

If someone had told him that accidentally getting sucked into a gas belt and very nearly crashing onto their unnamed, uninhabited planet started a 10-year uphill battle to build their own civilization, he would’ve called the person a liar.

In fact, telling him that he had knowingly abandoned the army for the sake a _Jedi he had fallen in love with_ , he would’ve called that person an even bigger liar.

Yet here they are. From the large floor to ceiling windows in his living room he can see the entire sprawling city, a city that has a house for every single clone to come home to.

“Codes! You home?” He hears Rex call for him as he lets himself into his home.

Some days he regrets giving his younger brother the keys to his house, what if he wanted to walk around with his dick out this morning? It wouldn’t be anything Rex hasn’t seen before, but still.

Rex did in fact, only live a few houses to the left of his own as the She’cu Alor, he could pop in anytime he wanted and Cody has just encouraged him by giving him a key.

“I’m in the living room! You’re just in time for caf!” Cody shouts as he turns to look past the sprawling homes of his brothers to the grassy plains, crop fields, forest clusters and distant mountains of their world.

If he squints, he can see the onyx black temple they had painstakingly carved out of a smaller mountain to make into their temple of remembrance, a worthy resting place for their brethren.

“Did Tib make speeder fuel this time or is it actually drinkable?” Rex asks leaning his cane against the wall to pull his boots off.

Seeing Rex without his buzzcut has never not been jarring, they all suffered from their own bouts of crushing anxiety and mental breakdowns during the colonization of the planet which has introduced a variety of questionable hair choices.

He just hadn’t expected Rex to keep the beard and long, braided mohawk he had grown during the first few years of construction.

He can’t really be one to talk as he sports a beard and long hair as well, deciding to leave the military cut and clean-shaven face back with his old, abandoned life. It is also nice to have the littles braid flowers into his hair. Some days he thinks he looks like a vague resemblance of a Jedi he once saw Obi-Wan staring at.

As much as his brethren poke fun at his appearance, he’s not even slightly convinced of getting rid of his long hair and beard. Even if Wolffe side-eyes him suspiciously, he isn’t keeping for the sole reason of missing Obi-Wan and no, he doesn’t stroke it for comfort either

“Don’t worry I’ll get Tib to add extra cream and sugar just like you like it.” Cody coos and he is all too pleased when Rex flips him off.

“Eat me, I like to enjoy my morning routines without having to shit out molten lava from your caf, thank you very much.” Rex says with a grimace as he flops down onto his overstuffed couch.

Cody frowns and swallows his sigh at the sight of his brother’s leg.

“Is your knee okay? Kix and Miracle will have your ass if you hurt yourself pushing your knee to do what it can’t.” Cody chides gently as he walks over to his brother, kneading the muscles around Rex’s injured joint.

His injury, the result of an ambush while on a bounty excursion, people are starting to get wise about who they are the more often they go out into the galaxy beyond their gas belt. Even with the decade that has past they’re still no friends of the new government that has been established and they are unwanted competition to other bounty hunters.

As much as his brother had told him not to feel guilty, he had approved the bounty mission, all of the brothers are his responsibility, even the other chiefs. If he hadn’t approved of the mission Rex wouldn’t have needed the several surgeries to reconstruct his knee, if hadn’t approved it, he wouldn’t have seen his brother moan in pain as he was rushed home, feeling his ruined leg even while drugged up to the gills with painkiller.

As rich with resources that Titaenama is, they don't have everything

They can’t afford not to go on bounty excursions. It allows them the resources and luxuries they can’t produce on their own, and while no one has died on a mission. The increase in violence against his brothers still makes him nervous.

“You’re brooding.” Rex mumbles as he rakes a hand through Cody’s hair.

“I’m not.” Cody protests as he smooths a thumb over the edge of a scar that peaks over the top of the bandages wrapped tightly around his leg.

“I knew the risks before going out so don’t you dare slip into your self-loathing…Cody, it’s been long enough, we need allies out in the galaxy that can protect us, we can’t stay in hiding forever. We need to establish ourselves as a formidable power in the galaxy, Titaenama can still stay hidden but we need connections.” Rex reasons and while he doesn’t have a single point to debate Rex with, at the end of the day it is his decision.

Nothing happens on Titaenama without his approval. Someday he wishes he had just opted to be a simple farmer in the outer edges of their city, to live a life of solitude and simplicity.

To not have to make hard-hitting choices that could put his brothers at risk, but they chose him, elected him to be their First Chief, the Sol'yc Alor of Titaenama. He wouldn’t disappoint them by indulging in cowardice.

“I know, I know, we’ll talk about it in the meeting with the others, did you come here just to make sure I wasn’t still sleeping?” Cody jokes, trying desperately to lighten the mood.

“Well, you do sleep like you’re in a blackout 8 bottles of rotgut deep.” Rex says with a smirk and he can only roll his eyes and head to the kitchen with Rex’s reminding him he like two spoonful’s of sugar in his caf.

* * *

“By the right of the council, by the will of the Force. Rise, Ahsoka Tano as a Knight of the Jedi Order.” Mace Windu rumbles as his purple lightsaber anoints her passage from Padawan to Knighthood. With a trained flick of his wrist, the tip of his blade severs her braid from her headdress, and she stands surrounded by the Masters of the Council who have guided her along her own path to knighthood.

She sees the blinding smile her Master has plastered on his face as it peaks through the shadow of his cloak. This has been a long time coming, when she had first left 11 years ago, she had never thought that something like this could have ever been possible, not for her, not in this lifetime.

But with time and space to think and a gentle coaxing from the Force she had come to learn again that she belonged at the Temple, she had strayed from her path but not her way of life.

There are too many people hurting throughout the galaxy for her to help on her own, she would need help if she is going to do anything about the people desperately clawing for help now that they were without 3 million bodies.

The clones had left without much fanfare, gone quietly at night without so much as a goodbye and she had only learned about their departure after they were long gone. It hurt know that they were gone but with their disappearance, the droids disappeared as well which was suspicious in its own right but combined with the chips implanted in the clones she knows the war wasn’t all it was set up to be. But with no one to fight negotiations were made, and bridges were built over burning valleys thought be uncrossable.

Peace has been slowly reconstructed over the years and in her time away in a broken galaxy she saw where the Jedi were needed in the unstable galaxy. Knowing she couldn’t help everyone by herself she had returned as a leader ready to complete her path to help others.

And return she did, not as a heartbroken 16-year-old girl lost in the galaxy but as a mature 19-year-old who knew her place, she knew what she needed to do.

With her return, she finished both her and Anakin’s journeys allowing them to begin anew with their failures in the past. She rose to her feet with a bittersweetness in her chest lodged just below her heart. Anakin’s role as her Master was over and so was his time as a Jedi.

The role of father suits him well, while he would never be a Jedi again after the ceremony, she knows where to find him. He would never be far from her or Obi-Wan, it still hurts to know things would never be the same. Ahsoka commiserates the fact that change is merely the call of the Force and to resist it means to go against everything she’s learned.

The birth of Luke and Leia has pulled him from the darkness that the war had entrenched him in and ever so slowly Anakin Skywalker had rebuilt himself. She only wishes Rex had been able to see her ascend to knighthood and see Anakin’s return to the light.

She couldn’t have asked for a better friend as a young girl thrown into a brutal war and as much as it pains her to know that she will probably never see the blonde man again in her lifetime, Ahsoka won’t search him out for her own selfish reasons. She knows why he had left with the rest when the reports had been released to the public, of how they had been violated on such a personal level.

He left for the same reason she did, however this time, he has no reason to return, his family left with him.

She bows deeply to the Masters and turns to leave the darkened room to the brightly lit hallway beyond the door. She leaves the Council room a Jedi knight, ready to finally work as what she has trained all her life for, to be a keeper of the peace.

It’s a gorgeous day on Coruscant, while she’s seen plenty far greater sights than the traffic-clogged sky of the planet city, there will always be a beauty to the planet. Even more so with the force less sickly with a fowl darkness ever since Bail Organa had been elected the new Supreme Chancellor.

If the sudden return of the light had anything to do with the sudden and violent death of Chancellor Palpatine she isn’t going to say anything. No use speaking ill of the dead even if the man did give her the creeps.

“Ashoka, I am so proud of you.” Anakin gushes as he wraps her in a tight hug.

“Thank you, Master Skywalker, for everything.” Ahsoka replies.

“Your rank is well earned, Knight Tano.” Obi-Wan says a few feet back, she rolls her eyes and throws herself into his chest, he releases a surprised half gasp as the air is forced out his lungs but he only chuckles and wraps his arms around her as well.

“So, what’s next for you? Jedi Knight Tano?” Anakin asks with a smirk.

“Well, I was going to say Dex’s, but we could always attend a delegate’s meeting on current political issues.” Ahsoka says with a fierce smirk as she watches how her former Master deflate.

Still as boyish as he was back then, when he was barely even considered an adult. She still finds it unendingly hilarious at how the Council had slapped a 19-year-old Anakin Skywalker with a 14-year-old snippy girl and left him little choice on the matter of training her.

"Accidental teenager acquisition" Rex had muttered under his breath once, as he helped mend her Akul-headdress after a gritty battle. She clearly remembers running to his cabin in tears to ask him for help.

Oh, to be a 14-year-old girl blubbering to a genetically modified man who was technically 4 years younger than her as he did his best to comfort her.

That memory also makes her laugh.

“Apologies for the interruption, but it seems any celebratory activities will have to wait, Chancellor Organa has summoned us for an emergency meeting.” Mace Windu says as he marches towards the trio.

“Whatever for? Has something happened with the alliance?” Obi-Wan asks.

“No, nothing too concerning, just somewhat unexpected.” Mace replies.

“Unexpected how?” Ahsoka asks.

“The clones have made contact with us, they want a place with the New Republic, Commander Cody is waiting for us now in Chancellor Organa’s office.” Mace replies.

It’s a good enough reason to push back dinner at Dex’s for a few hours.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me ya thought!
> 
> The titles that the commanders have are rough translations to a numbered system of chiefs: ie Cody is the First Chief and is thus the head ruling power while Rex is the Ninth Chief, each of the 30 chiefs handle sectors of planetary infrastructure much like senators and government officials do.


	2. After All this Time?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Speaking of children, Obi-Wan…There is an initiate that had not been chosen to be a padawan this past cycle, she’s almost aged out of the window to be chosen and I was hoping you would meet with her and see if training her would be a possibility.” Mace says as they walk towards the speeder docks.
> 
> He hesitates for a moment, unsure if a Padawan would be right for him during this time, but Mace wouldn’t have brought it up if he didn’t think Obi-Wan hadn’t been desperately craving another student to teach.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> You know highly tempted to just rename this fic: homosexuals in space

_Cody?_

_After all this time?_

He’s hit in the gut with a very strong urge vanish, maybe he could change his name and return to Stewjon if it means he doesn’t have to see his former Commander. He doesn’t quite know what he would do there, as he hasn’t been to his native planet in at least 35 years, but he could figure something out.

That fact makes him feel somewhat remorseful, he could have visited at any point but he hadn’t, he’s never had a reason too, he feels no longing towards the planet. The memories of his family have either faded away long ago or have been too uncomfortable to touch. But he also hadn’t abandoned anyone, he had been given up, so the remorse he feels is unfounded. He’s not like the man who had decided out of the blue, to show his face again after packing up and leaving.

He can’t be angry at Cody, he can’t, the clones left for the safety of the Jedi and their own. Even so, a low simmering foulness has always been on the back-burner in his mind. A hurt that has festered when Cody wouldn’t let him help, that he hadn’t told Obi-Wan where he was going or hadn’t trusted him enough to tell him.

There is an anger that Cody had made the decision for Obi-Wan without even talking to him, even after trusting him with everything else.

He hadn’t trusted Obi-wan to respect his boundaries. He wanted to disappear and leave everything behind after Fox had leaked the report about the chips in their brains. He can understand the man’s anger, under his own anger he also brushes against his own fear that intermingles in a bubbling pot of nauseating emotions.

Fear of Cody, fear that the man could have killed him and never known what he was doing. A future that never happened but had still been terrifying.

And as selfish as it sounds, there’s also a fear that in the end, he had meant nothing to Cody. That in the end, they were not lovers but merely two men that came together because no one knew the burden of command as they did. That maybe he had so little impact on Cody’s life he hadn’t warranted a simple message.

But Cody isn’t calling Obi-Wan he’s calling Supreme Chancellor Bail Organa. Of all the ten years that separated the clone’s desertion from the Republic and this very moment, Cody nor any of the 212th had contacted him. For years he had thought about the what-ifs, after 6 months without a whisper of the stolen fleet he had assumed the worst. He had accepted the fact that his men were probably dead in the deepest reaches of space.

He pushes the thoughts away before they turn down any darker paths. A lot could happen in 10 years and he doesn’t exactly want to dwell on all the other hostile reasons why the clones hadn’t contacted them.

He releases the anxiety through several deep breaths, the others are looking at him expectantly like he’s been asked a question, a question he had been too lost in thought to hear properly.

“Master Kenobi…did you hear me?” Ahsoka asks curiously, her eye ridges furrowed together in concern.

“My apologies Ahsoka, it seems like I was lost in thought, could you repeat the question?” Obi-wan asks, smacking himself mentally, now isn’t the time to brood or mope.

“I said that I was wondering why they chose now to make contact, it has been 10 years, I’m just wondering what could have changed.” Ahsoka asks.

“It’s hard to tell my dear, we’ll have to be observant if we’re going to get any clue of what the clones have been up to in the last ten years, this doesn’t seem like a regular friendly call. They haven’t said anything in 10 years, and I doubt Cody will go into detail all that much during this meeting.” Obi-Wan replies.

“We also must take heed, while I am glad, they have decided to make contact again, we cannot jump back into how things used to be. As you said Obi-Wan, 10 years is quite a while, they may be completely different men with an unknown agenda who will possibly use our familiarity with them as an advantage.” Mace adds.

“You don’t really think they would betray us, would they?” Anakin pipes up sounding on the verge of outrage. Rex knew, before any of them about Padmé. He isn’t surprised that the former Jedi is biting at the bit to defend his captain-turned-brother.

“Loyalty means everything to the clones, to be violated in the way they were by the faction they had been bred to be unendingly loyal to is bound to create resentment. While they may not resent us personally, I doubt any of the clones are going to be overtly friendly if they do plan on rejoining the galaxy publicly.” Mace replies and Obi-Wan nods, Cody’s anger had left a stark scar on the memory of his final departure. His anger was mixed with a deep-seated fear and sadness that left a sour taste on his tongue long after he left.

“Master Windu has a point, however, we won’t know how to gauge what the clones are like by keep Chancellor Bail and the Commander waiting, the sooner we get there, the sooner we will have our answers.” Anakin says as he starts down the hallways, only to be stopped by a gentle hand on his elbow.

“Anakin…Unfortunately this is a confidential issue and you no longer have clearance now that Ahsoka has passed her trials. You can no longer attend this meeting.” Mace says, Obi-wan cringes internally.

Anakin has grown in ways he thought never to be possible and his former padawan has surprised him in many ways in the past ten years. But he has never been good at being denied or restricted.

There’s a brief moment where he thinks Anakin may argue and he begs the boy he raised to not be stubborn, not now.

“…Of course, Master Windu…I understand.” Anakin says downtrodden and Mace slowly lets go of his arm.

While he’s relieved his former student hadn’t devolved into an angry outburst, it still aches knowing that he is no longer a Jedi. But Anakin had chosen to leave the Order after the birth of Luke and Leia and several emotionally vulnerable talks. He had only returned to finish Ahsoka’s training at her own personal request, this is the inevitable outcome of Ahsoka’s knighting.

“We can still meet Anakin at Dex’s after the meeting, right Master Kenobi?” Ahsoka says nudging him slightly.

“Of course, I don’t see why not.” Obi-Wan replies thankful for the sly conversation changer.

Mace has turned away, either to answer his comm or to give them some sort of privacy.

“I can do one better, I’ll go pick up some food and then I’ll bring it back to the loft, the twins have been dying to see you all week.” Anakin says backing away before turning completely to jog down the hall and out of sight as he turns down another corner.

“He certainly has grown.” Mace comments with a raised brow, done speaking with whoever was on the other end of the comm.

“Having children certainly has taught him a certain self-control I never managed to.” Obi-wan says with another sigh.

“I think being around Luke and Leia has made him focus on why he feels certain things and now that he has to explain it to them, it’s not like he can blow-up and storm away with 9-year-olds. I’m also pretty sure Senator Amidala has convinced him to talk to a professional as well to try and work through his past.” Ahsoka says with a shrug.

While having a professional talk to him is long overdue he’s glad to hear that Anakin is getting the support he needs.

“Speaking of children, Obi-Wan…There is an initiate that had not been chosen to be a padawan this past cycle, she’s almost aged out of the window to be chosen and I was hoping you would meet with her and see if training her would be a possibility.” Mace says as they walk towards the speeder docks.

He hesitates for a moment, unsure if a Padawan would be right for him during this time, but Mace wouldn’t have brought it up if he didn’t think Obi-Wan hadn’t been desperately craving another student to teach.

“Say no more, my friend. I will meet with the initiate as soon as I can.” Obi-wan says as he pats his friend on the back.

“You have my thanks Obi-Wan, I found them as a child during the war and I know under the right teacher that she will be a meaningful addition to the Jedi Order.” Mace replies, he can see Ahsoka beaming at him from the corner of his eye.

“You have never led me astray before my friend, if you have faith in this youngling’s abilities, so do I.” Obi-wan replies simply.

* * *

Cody did have a plan, even better he has his heart on his sleeve and his bargaining tools all lined up to make the best case for the Chancellor. He’s glad he doesn’t have to grovel to Palpatine, but he knows Bail Organa is no pushover either. They have to state their case properly or their entire plan could go up in flames.

Knowing the Republic, anything has at least a 36% chance of spiralling out of control. They’ve been on hold for several minutes now since first putting their call in and being met with their first roadblock, in the form of a bubbly Nikto who served as the Chancellor’s assistant.

Neyo slaps his hand away from nervously pulling at his cape and he would scowl at his brother and slap him back if several blue-tinted figures hadn’t decided to materialize at that exact moment.

He straightens his posture until he feels like his back is about to spasm. He’s a chief, he rules over a planet with his brothers and runs a successful civilization. He can make through a simple conversation, if they do join the Republic, sweet-talking politicians will be his full-time job.

“Marshal Commander Cody, this is quite the surprise, Commanders Neyo and Fox, it has been quite some time. How can I do for you today gentlemen?” Bail asks good-naturedly with a kind smile, Cody specifically ignores the way that Obi-wan stares holes into the side of his head.

He clears his throat and Fox kicks him in the ankle under the view of the holo-call.

“Chancellor Organa, yes, it has been quite some time. We come bearing no ill-will to your government, quite the opposite in fact. I come to you today as the Sol'yc Alor of Titaenama to ask to join the New Republic, I and the other chiefs agree that both our planet and the New Republic could benefit from an allyship.” Cody declares, Bly had made him repeat the same lines over and over again for the past three days until he was saying the words in his sleep.

Their proposal had to perfect or else they would be forced back into hiding from the galaxy, he has no lofty fantasy about their future if the Chancellor denies their proposal. Plenty of the people in the galaxy hate them and if this fails and they no longer have the benefit of remaining in the shadows.

“If I may ask Sol'yc Alor of Titaenama, why now? I do not want to meet you with hostility, but you must understand that many systems and planets are wary of you, especially with the events that unfolded ten years ago. Please, do not take any offence but if I am going to introduce you to the Senate many will demand a satisfying explanation.” Bail explains, times like these Cody wishes he was force sensitive.

He barely could stand the wordplay of senators and their fake earnestness when he was a Commander. Now, in times like these where his brothers are depending on him to get this right, he has no idea if Bail is being truthful with his words, it almost seems too easy to get an acceptance.

 _Of course, Chancellor Organa, we understand that our departure from the Republic was not on the best of terms or the best situation. We will do everything in our power to extinguish any lingering suspicion or hostilities so that our future allyship can be an honest one._ Fox signs with slow careful movements, ensuring that all see the signs his hands are creating.

Cody holds his breath and hopes no one asks for Fox to repeat himself. He knows many don’t understand sign language without a protocol droid. Every single brother knows sign language on Titaenama, but what they do isn’t the standard everywhere else. It’s unfair for his brother to want to say so much but be silenced by his injury and not be understood.

He sees a flash of shock on Bail’s face before he quickly forces a polite smile back on.

Cody had been worried for years after their departure that the assassin sent after Fox had permanently made his throat unusable, he feared his brother would have eating and breathing difficulties for the rest of his life.

Fett knows the war had already left him scarred.

Having an assassin sent to silence him the day before he was to publicly announce his findings at the hearing on the bio-chips implanted in the clones, has left Fox with unsaid baggage that he still struggles with and it makes him so very angry. Cody knows that they owe everything to Fox, without him they would’ve become the one thing they feared the most.

“What can the brothers do to solidify the trust of the New Republic?” Neyo asks. His brother getting straight to the point. Cutting in to draw attention to himself, another reason Fox usually remained silent is to avoid unnecessary and intrusive questions. Or pity, Fox hates pity.

“I do believe that if the leaders of Titaenama were to spend time here on Coruscant to refamiliarize themselves with both old and new members of the Senate while having the Jedi acting as liaisons for your tenure to ensure credibility. Could possibly be the best way to convince the public and the Senate to welcome Titaenama to the New Republic.” Bail continues as he strokes his chin.

“Which Jedi do you suppose will work as the acting liaison for the Alor, Chancellor Organa?” Obi-wan asks and Cody has to refrain from tugging at his cape again.

“I do believe the Jedi that worked alongside the Commanders as Generals would be the most feasible option since those Jedi would know their characters the best. While I understand many Jedi have returned and your numbers have grown, I do believe linking former Commanders and Jedi would be best to appease the public. The Jedi have been in good standings with the public for many years now and I doubt they’ll distrust your judgement on the character of these men.” Bail adds and if Obi-Wan was starring holes into his head before, he’s excavating his skull now.

“If the Jedi are in agreeance, we will also comply with the tenure conditions, if it means joining the New Republic.” Cody says simply.

 _Linked at the hip with Obi-Wan again…that will be…interesting_ …. _No, probably a nightmare_.

“I find the conditions agreeable as well, I will have to discuss it with the Council, but I see no reason as to why they would disagree with the current terms.” Mace replies.

“Excellent, we will start to prepare for your arrival immediately and I will announce your temperate initiation to the Senate swiftly, when can we expect you?” Bail asks.

This has gone better than he could imagine, either they are desperate for numbers or Bail is being overtly kind.

“It will take 5 days to travel from Titaenama to enter Coruscant’s orbit, we too will start preparations for our immediate departure. I thank you for meeting with us on such an abrupt and short notice Jedi Masters and Chancellor Organa. Hopefully, this will be the beginning of a long-lasting and beneficial partnership.” Cody says, ignoring the way he sees Obi-Wan shift, like he can’t wait to get out of the room. He doesn’t blame the man, even if his indifference to seeing him again hurts.

He mentally smacks himself as the Chancellor smiles and those on Coruscant say their goodbyes before blinking out of existence. It was selfish of him to think that Obi-Wan would jump for joy at the sight of him after how he had kicked the man out of his life ten years ago. Obi-Wan may have moved on and he may have been just a blip on his radar.

He left Obi-Wan when he left the Republic, he isn’t going to Coruscant to reignite their long-dead love affair, he is going for his brothers, so they can have a better future. They’re all that matters, what he wants doesn’t matter anymore, he already has everything he could ever ask for…

_All but one thing, a little voice whispers to him._

There’s no denying it, he hurt Obi-Wan all those years ago, he made sure that they would never be Obi-wan and Cody ever again. For the next several weeks they will only be Sol'yc Alor Cody and Jedi Master Kenobi. He won’t let his personal feelings jeopardize this mission, he wouldn’t be worthy of his title if he threw away his brothers’ futures so easily.

“Well, that could have gone worse, I’ll inform the others of the new developments and tell them to get packing. I’m sure you and Fox can handle preparing Titaenama for our departure.” Neyo says as claps them each on the back before he saunters out of the room.

 _Are you okay?_ Fox signs, he’s furrowing his brow at Cody and he knows that even if he comes up with a good lie, Fox will see through it.

“You know just great, few weeks alone with Obi-Wan? It will be just like one of the stupid Holo-drama that Rex watches. This isn’t exactly what I wanted, in fact, this is the last thing I wanted.” Cody says with a sigh as he rubs his face roughly.

 _50 credits say you get railed by the end of our little vacation._ Fox signs again, wiggling his eyebrows.

“Make it a 100 you ass.” Cody replies with a roll of his eyes.

 _Your loss_ …… _But really Cody, you don’t have to be lonely for the rest of your life. Who knows what could happen, don’t shut the man out like you did last time._ Fox tells him and he sighs miserably.

“I’m only going to Coruscant for the sole reason of improving the lives of the brothers, nothing else, whatever we had has been dead in the water for some time now. There’s no point in hoping for something that I already know won’t happen.” Cody says as he turns to frown at his brother with his arms crossed over his chest.

 _Whatever you say._ Fox huffs and throws his hands up in the air as he walks away.

“How can you still be so sarcastic without opening your mouth?” Cody mutters to his retreating brother.

 _Trade secrets._ Fox signs with a wheezing laugh before he shuts the door in Cody’s face.


	3. Hello Obi-Wan

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “Glossing over the fact that our poor baby brother has seen Skywalker’s raging hard dick, we can all admit that we all knew that the Marshal Commander had been in a deep sensual love affair with one Obi-Wan Kenobi for the majority of the war right? All who concur say ‘aye’.” Bacara declares as he raises his beer and the rest of them follow suit.
> 
> Scratch the sometimes, he hates his brothers all the time. They act like he’s lonely and simpering after a man he broke things off with ten years ago, he’s not lonely…He’s not! He’s been too busy to settle down, he could settle down with anyone, it’s just… no one has ever piqued his interest. It’s not his fault that the galaxy is boring!

“How many pairs of undergarments should I pack? I feel like 60 pairs feels excessive.” Rex asks, his voice drifting from his closet as he rustles around, throwing pieces of clothes into a pile just outside the door.

“Depends if you plan on pissing yourself multiple times a day, we’re only going to be on Coruscant for a month.” Wolffe replies as he tips his head back to suck his beer bottle dry.

“ _Fett’s hairy balls_ , we have to make nice with politicians that may or may not see us as people for a month? Can I call in sick?” Blackout moans as he picks up another card, he’s losing if the way Fox and Gree are smirking at him.

Cody rolls his eyes as he nurses his own beer, every single former commander who currently isn’t out on an excursion have all parked themselves in Rex’s open-space loft. Even though his brother’s house is barely a 20-minute walk away from his own and a quarter trip around the mountain he has a completely different view. Instead of stretching fields and forests, he looks upon the endless freshwater ocean that shines a dazzling ink blue that reflects the moon and starlight.

“Oh, don’t be a sulk, you can’t tell me that you aren’t excited to see General Kolar again, it’ll just be like extended shore leave but with more civvy schmoozing. Then Bada-bing, Bada-boom before we know it, we’ll have our comfy new floating saucer in the Senate and we won’t be fair game whenever we leave Titaenama.” Gree replies as throws a few more credits onto the pile in the middle of the table.

Gree may regret putting those credits on the pile with how wolfish Fox looks.

 _“I think you’re all underestimating how awful Senate parties are.”_ Fox signs with a lazy wave of his hand.

“I never said they were going to be enjoyable, but I’m not exactly going to say no if a Senator offers to take me home.” Gree says which elicits a round of laughs and whistles as they jeer at his sexual tastes.

“Don’t tell me you’re into clone play, I thought I raised you better than that!” Bly says smacking him on the back.

Gree squawks and they devolve into a smacking fight that turns into a wrestling match. They roll on the floor together trading insults about how Bly probably couldn’t polish his DC-17 if isn’t thinking about Aayla Secura, or how Gree looked like he missed a spot for three years when he wore the double stripe hairstyle. Their wrestling bumps the table, knocking the precarious pile of credits even more askew and Fox grunts in displeasure as he gathers them back into a pile.

This is nice, a good distraction from the actual stress of the trip. Anything could go wrong during 5 days of space travel, pirates, bounty hunter, Separatist radicals and their sympathizers. Not to mention that spending every single waking day with Obi-Wan for a straight month sounds like his own personal hell.

Yet a big part of him craves the man’s company like a dying man craves the mercy of death. He has missed the man. Not even the space and time of ten years has faded his feelings for the man even as he eat, drank and breathe his job to avoid thinking of Obi-Wan, the technique worked for a while but now it seems he’s bled the method dry now that his job requires him to spend time with the man.

He can’t even get his brain to worry about all the work that needs to be done to keep Titaenama afloat. Wooley has been his protégé for years and he knows in all certainty that he and Boil will be excellent co-chiefs in his place. Along with all the other co-chiefs, his brothers have handpicked, the planet won’t even notice they’re gone.

There’s absolutely nothing to stress about that he wants to stress about, Titaenama will perform like a well-oiled machine until they returned. With nothing to fret over, his brain to run in circles about spending a month with Obi-Wan. Maybe it’s also the sleep deprivation that’s making his brain run in overdrive. They’re leaving in a few hours so that they won’t suffer the distinct and miserable experience of planet-lag. Wild space is on a completely different time schedule than Core worlds, which gave them the bright idea several hours ago of staying up all night to leave in the earliest hours of the morning as to not walk around like brain dead zombies while on the influential planet.

So here they are, drunker than they should be, gambling more than they should be as they wait for Rex to hurry the fuck up and…

“Rex! Jango’s bones, would you just pick a shirt! They’re the same shade of blue, I swear if you keep fussing, you’re going to forget to pack something important like your damn head.” Cody says with a groan and the maniacal tinge to his laugh yells him that Rex is being finicky on purpose for the sole point of aggravating him.

“Oh Codes, don’t be like that, you wouldn’t know the burden of being blonde I need my shirts to match my complexion.” Rex moans dramatically as he saunters out of the walk-in closet with his packed bags.

If it hadn’t taken him three hours to seem so prepared for their trip he would almost be impressed. The smirk on Rex’s face tells him he isn’t even close to done for the night, he knows it’s just at the tip of Rex’s tongue and he desperately searches for a distraction.

“So…Cody-” Rex starts and he gets the attention is his scattered brothers like a circus ring leader about to put on a show.

“We are absolutely not talking about this!” Cody tries to say in vain, he can already feel how he heats up under his beard.

“I’ve heard that Obi-Wan looks good…” Rex continues, wiggling his eyebrows much like Fox did two days ago after their meeting with the Chancellor.

“Real, good. He’s what? 47 now? That’s silver fox territory now and I know how you feel about older men.” Neyo says with a vicious smile, sharp enough to cut diamonds.

Cody groans into his hands, he really hates his brothers sometimes.

“I don’t know what you assholes think but I have always maintained a professional relationship with Obi-Wan and will continue to do so for our diplomatic trip.” Cody says firmly, it would have been almost fully convincing if his voice hadn’t cracked midway through his sentence.

The room fills with uproarious laughter from his audience.

“Sure! And I can say with full confidence that I never gotten a picture of Skywalker’s cock meant for Senator Amidala in my inbox nor did I get sappy teenage love poems from Ahsoka meant for Lux Bonteri.” Rex says as he smacks Cody’s shoulder as he sits down next to him.

“Glossing over the fact that our poor baby brother has seen Skywalker’s raging hard dick, we can all admit that we all knew that the Marshal Commander had been in a deep sensual love affair with one Obi-Wan Kenobi for the majority of the war right? All who concur say ‘aye’.” Bacara declares as he raises his beer and the rest of them follow suit.

Scratch the sometimes, he hates his brothers all the time. They act like he’s lonely and simpering after a man he broke things off with ten years ago, he’s not lonely…He’s not! He’s been too busy to settle down, he could settle down with anyone, it’s just… no one has ever piqued his interest. It’s not his fault that the galaxy is boring!

 _Cody, we say this with love, but you are the biggest self-flagellating fool on this planet. We aren’t blind, just cloned from emotionally inept ass, but we do have eyes._ Fox signs before he pats his thigh placatingly.

“Okay, you bastards, in a perfect world where Obi-Wan Kenobi doesn’t want to avoid me like I’m the plague, he’s still a Jedi, we can’t exactly go off into the sunset to have a big fairy-tale romance together. What am I supposed to do if he does still feel something for me?” Cody asks while his brothers look at him like he’s the biggest fool of them.

“Obviously whatever makes you happy, since you just admitted that if Obi-Wan doesn’t hate you, which is unlikely to ever happen. It would automatically mean a fairy-tale romance, which tells me that you have more feelings for him than you let on.” Wolffe says.

“What is this? Group therapy?” Cody grouses, feeling overly exposed by his observant brothers

“No, more of an intervention, listen we’re not saying fuck the man silly whenever you get him alone but don’t act like you’re some flesh droid unable to feel. Just, I don’t know, talk to him? You didn’t exactly end on the best of terms.” Grey reminds him like the bastard he is.

“Alright fine! To appease you nosy assholes I will try and mend the relationship between me and Obi-Wan, are you all happy?” Cody says flinging his hands in the air.

“About 60%, you could throw in a few beers to sweeten the deal.” Rex schmoozes.

“I will literally end your bloodline.” Cody replies.

* * *

_“Hello Obi-Wan, I know you may never get this message, it would be foolish of me to think that you kept our comm from ten years ago, but I still wanted to try... I have been horribly unfair to you and I know it is probably far too late to apologize but I still wanted to let you know that I am sorry for the way things ended between us. I was so very afraid, or everything and while I don’t regret leaving, now that I will be returning to Coruscant I was hoping we could begin anew…I understand if I have ruined things between us but I couldn’t not try…I have missed you Obi-Wan, truly.”_

The message plays on repeat in his mind as he sits in the room of a thousand fountains, he had guiltily left the message to be seen as opened as he had been unsure what to say in the moment. When his dusty old comm had beeped with a frequency he had almost forgotten he hadn’t exactly known what to expect. Seeing the bearded visage of his former commander had still come as a shock even as he knew full well that only one person in the galaxy had the other comm.

Cody’s nearing arrival has left him conflicted, to say the least. He should feel nothing from receiving the man’s message. But it had set a fiery blaze of longing in his chest as the man stumbled through an awkward message that he had obviously written down and practiced.

If he’s truthful with himself he had waited years to receive a message like this from Cody, but it had never come. In all the years he was gone the comm remained silent, and to have the message now leaves him with a fluttering heart and a belly full of lead.

So much has changed in the past ten years and he knows that they are not men they used to be all those years ago, yet Cody isn’t asking to return to how things were, but to begin anew. Maybe he too knew that the past has been dead and buried long past revival.

Their days of being General and Commander are over, their days of being lovers are over, but he will always adore the man. Maybe he could find the fleeting bit of peace he has craved over the past ten years if they could continue as friends. If he just had the man in his life then maybe that piece he had torn out of his heart when he left could mend.

It would never be the same, but nothing ever is with the passage of time.

Someone tentatively knocks on the frame of the arching doorway behind him, more time must have passed than he had originally thought. Either that or the initiate he had been expecting is more prompt than Anakin ever had been, he hadn’t solely come to the lush garden room to brood about a former lover.

“Hello there, please come in.” Obi-Wan says as he gracefully stands from his meditative pose to brush his robes free from the few blades of grass that clung to the material.

He turns to face the anxious presence still standing by the door and his eyes widen slightly as he takes in the figure. A girl half a cycle younger than Ahsoka had been when she had become a padawan all those years ago stands before him looking lost and unsure of herself.

The gangly girl is almost drowned-out in her dark blue and teal robes, like either the fabric had been simply too big for her or she hadn’t tied it quite right.

However, her appearance is probably the main reason why she shuffles in with her head ducked and eyes downcast. Like most Togruta girls her lekku barely reach her shoulders and pale green stripes twist up the appendages like carnival ribbons until they reach her short montrals. Even so, last time he checked Togruta’s didn’t have Zabrak-like horns. Yet, a set of short horns border her eyes ridges and cross her forehead while white lines run the over dusty maroon skin under her eyes and lips.

“Hello Master Kenobi, Master Windu asked me to meet you here?” She whispers and he has to strain to hear her over the rushing water.

“Yes, thank you for meeting with me my dear, and early too. Anakin could never manage to be on time even if I taped a clock to his face.” Obi-Wan jokes trying to ease the girl out of her defensive curl.

The order welcomes all into their ranks, but nothing stopped younglings from saying what was on their minds. Whether it be intentional or unintentional in their cruelness, he knows the posture of someone who has been made to feel like an outcast.

“I’ve heard great things about Master Skywalker.” The girl perks up a little at the mention of Anakin and he smiles a little ruefully.

“Oh there is plenty I can tell you about Anakin that those stories don’t, they always did have an interesting twist that often seems to leave out the fact that I would often be the one to save him.” Obi-Wan jokes and the girl giggles before clamping a hand over her mouth, obviously trying her best to be respectful.

He's smitten with her already.

“But my former student aside for a moment, who are you my dear? I would like to get to know the initiates I am going to train.” Obi-Wan says with another smile, the girl jolts like she’s received an electric shock and her eyes bug out of her head as she scrambles into the room, frantic to meet his request.

“Of course Master Kenobi, I am Eteera Mansule, Jedi Order initiate, it is my pleasure to make your acquaintance Master Jedi.” She says properly with a deep bow, she’s the polar opposite of Anakin but also so similar in an abstract way he could almost swear his former student stands before him.

He hasn’t had a student of his own ever since Anakin had been knighted early for the war effort and while he had been a co-Master to Ahsoka for years, he’s been craving to be a teacher again for quite some time now. The girl before him is so earnest, so eager to impress, much like Ahsoka had been.

Also, much like Ahsoka, this is probably her last shot to be a Jedi before she’s sent to the Agricore or another branch of the order after being passed over by the other knights and masters. He feels for her in his heart, he had been in the exact position before he had eventually convinced Qui-Gon to teach him.

Convinced being a loose definition.

If he’s learned anything from Anakin, it is to take a chance on the unusual. To turn this girl away, who just wanted to prove herself would mean he’s learned nothing from watching his own student teach another.

Mace knew what his answer was going to be even before he did, of course he did.

“Greetings Eteera, would you like to join me for a morning meditation? I believe we have much to discuss if you are going to be my padawan.” Obi-Wan says as he sits back down on the grass.

He hears the girl gasp excitedly as she runs as politely as she can over to his side, looking at him with big earnest eyes once she kneels at his right elbow.

“Now my dear, what can you tell me about the Force?” Obi-Wan asks as he closes his eyes, settling into a shallow meditation as the young girl’s mind paints him a picture of wonder.

Excitement peels off her force signature as she dives headfirst into his first question.

The smile doesn’t leave his face.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Tell me what you think about the little OC that I introduced! <3


	4. You Don't Even Scarpbook

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> “And what about you Kit? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wearing anything else but the brown tail wraps, are you having an identity crisis or are you dressed up for one of the men coming back as well?” She says with a raised eyes brow as she looks over her shoulder to wrap the shimmering black leather around her lekku.
> 
> He’s almost tempted to touch it when the light makes it glimmer shades of blue and green, but he knows he’ll get a smack for his interference.
> 
> He looks down at his own headtails, he admires the silver and blue bands wrapped snuggly around them. They almost compliment his light green skin too much, and Ayala may be right, maybe he is having an identity crisis. Who is he, if he’s not Master Kit Fisto with the brown headtail wraps.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is so fun to write, hope you guys like this chapter, the next chapter will be the start of the new conflict!

“It’s been quite some time since I’ve seen you take out that headwrap, are you expecting someone to be on a certain ship that I know is arriving later this evening?” Kit asks as he leans against the blue-skinned Twi’lek’s door.

She scoffs and rolls her eyes, but he sees the way her skin darkens with a blush.

The headdress in question is truly beautiful, a gift, if he remembers correctly from a Senator looking to fall into Aayla’s good graces and her bed by showering her in worldly possessions not easily obtainable. Gifts, that were often passed onto to the younglings or other Jedi. Later, whenever they had crossed paths, she had assured the Senator that she enjoyed the gifts immensely with a fake smile slapped on.

It had been obvious the Senator had just wanted to bed her for being a Twi’lek, she had told him that fact personally while she handed him the black lotus incense that he had no qualms in accepting. While with each gift she was no more eager to bed him, she still readily accepted his gifts for the benefit of the Temple. They were going to a good cause, a cause like keeping the younglings endlessly entertained with the newest constellation projector or audio-book series.

“And what about you Kit? I don’t think I’ve ever seen you wearing anything else but the brown tail wraps, are you having an identity crisis or are you dressed up for one of the men coming back as well?” She says with a raised eyes brow as she looks over her shoulder to wrap the shimmering black leather around her lekku.

He’s almost tempted to touch it when the light makes it glimmer shades of blue and green, but he knows he’ll get a smack for his interference.

He looks down at his own headtails, he admires the silver and blue bands wrapped snuggly around them. They almost compliment his light green skin too much, and Ayala may be right, maybe he is having an identity crisis. Who is he, if he’s not Master Kit Fisto with the brown headtail wraps.

He also happened to bring out one of his more decorative robes on this day, dark blue ones that unashamedly gape around his chest. If Darth Maul could go around half-naked and then barely wear a shirt while being an unhinged crime lord that brought terror to the galaxy for an absorbent amount of time. Then he could wear a slightly more revealing robe on special occasions and bare the cane slaps from Yoda to his shins later.

“I’ve been assigned as the liaison to Captain Rex.” He says, sadly Monnk wouldn’t be apart of the arrival party, apparently the clones’ hidden planet needed infrastructure planning for a new water purifier expansion.

Still, it was nice to hear from him, even while as a grainy blue man, it’s good to know that he hadn’t perished in deep space as they all had feared. It was good to hear that he had made a life for himself like he had wanted.

He had mentioned about what kind of future he wanted on the off-handed occasion when the campaigns became too long and death became too much, talking about the future had been a much-needed distraction.

“Anakin’s Captain? Bly and I were stranded with him, Anakin and Ahsoka early in the war and I definitely saw the reasons why he had earned the Jaig-eyes on his helmet. He kept up with Anakin and Ahsoka for almost three years, so I have to wonder if he is just as crazy as the two of them combined.” Aayla says with a laugh.

“Jealous that I get to gallivant around Coruscant with such a dashing man?” Kit teases as he flounces around Aayla’s room.

“Hmmm while I would be, he is quite striking with his blonde hair, I am expecting someone else.” Aayla admits, partially ignoring him as he sprawls out on her bed.

“Does this man’s name rhyme with sky? Or maybe tie? And is his favourite colour yellow? So much so that he’s tattooed all over his skin?” Kit asks with a smirk and it widens as Aayla whips around with her mouth hanging open.

“How did you know his tattoos go all the way down.” She asks, horrified.

He smirks at her.

“Hey, I didn’t say it, you did, I was only talking about his face, _but now_ I know much more than I ever would about Commander Bly. Maybe I’ll scrapbook this memory to immortalize this moment between us where you both simultaneously admitted to knowing what Bly looks like naked while thinking I bedded him.” Kit says with a laugh while Aayla throws a decorative pillow at his face, which he catches easily enough.

The second one that comes flying at him is a different story, it smacks him square in the face, bitten tongue aside the slight injury is worth seeing his long-time friend so flustered.

“Why are we friends?’ She moans in despair as she holds her face in her hands.

“Because I make a great stew?” He responds, her head pops up with an expression of befuddlement, but she nods her head in agreeance a moment later.

“I’ll bring some by later after I’m done scrapbooking. Try not to jump Bly’s bones too soon, we wouldn’t want your romance getting back to Master Vos.” Kit says before he flips off her bed and closes the door behind him before another pillow can make contact with his face.

He actually does have the stew Aayla likes so much in the communal kitchen, he’ll bring it to her room before they have to go meet the Commanders.

The Captain had been well known throughout the army, for good reason. Even if they didn’t know him personally, the blue Jaig-eyes were hard to miss.

He thinks back to the one joint mission where Ahsoka and Anakin had reinforced his scuba trooper on Mon Calamari. The Captain had remained on the ship leading the assault from high above the water, a fact he remembers the Captain being none too pleased about.

The tight-lipped thinly-veiled arguing on the bridge had been quite telling, Anakin and his men were unorthodox. But he’s more than sure that arguing on the bridge hadn’t been apart of any strategy planning sessions he had been apart of.

He hadn’t even needed to ask before a bridge officer handed him a datapad with the mission briefing and subsequent strategy. Apparently, he had looked more intrigued than he thought because the officer had only given him a look before leaning in to whisper:

 _“The captain is still recovering from being shot in the chest during the Saleucami mission, he’d rather be on the ground or, in the water, I should say but even he knows his arm isn’t going to hold up. General Skywalker brought up taking personal health seriously and the conversation has spiralled a little out of control, but it’s nothing to worry about General. It’s more of a surprise if the bridge is quiet, sir.”_ With that the bridge officer had left him to go back to his station, leaving him to diffuse a very thick, very tense silence.

It felt like he had been a councillor for a family therapy meeting as parents tried to argue the fact that “no their reckless son couldn’t come to the deep-sea scuba fight while only have 35% usage of his arm and no this isn’t equivalent to sacrificing oneself to save others from an exploding ship or facing off against a deranged Jedi-killing Cyborg alone.”

He's glad he had Monnk by his side during the war, that’s all he’s going to say about it.

Even-tempered, caring, good-humoured Monnk, oh how he does miss his Commander on his most nostalgic days. Nadar sneaks in with his own memories as well, leaving him feeling bittersweet while he refuses to contemplate the what-ifs.

Memories aside, he has a Captain to prepare for.

* * *

“You know, Coruscant isn’t as bad as I remember it being.” Wolffe says as he stands at the viewport with his arms crossed over his chest. His embroidered silver cloak reflects the shining lights of Coruscant as they pull into the Senate docking space, turning the fabric into a dazzling display.

“Are you sure you’re getting a proper signal to that eye of yours? It’s still ugly as shit.” Grey says with a scoff as he leans over to look down at the planet with a frown.

“No, he’s got a point, everything does look better in the dark, even Coruscant, in fact, I may just close my eyes for the entire trip.” Rex says as he leans on his cane to peer out the adjacent viewport.

Unlike Wolffe’s his chiefly overcoat does not light up like a disco ball whenever the light hits it, his is a reasonably shimmery blue. But it came as no surprise when the one-eyed man had chosen probably the most dramatic cloak out of all of them.

If he hadn’t been a soldier Wolffe would have been the mysterious, but draw droopingly ostentatious celebrities who would have people clawing for his attention that he would never give. He would be famous for…whatever people got famous for these days.

The ship jerks and his face almost makes itself a home in the glass panelling, keyword being _almost_. Wolffe unseeingly reaches out to steady him before he had gone sprawling like a newborn Kyrat dragon.

He can’t tell if it’s pathetic or ridiculous that he couldn’t keep his feet steady, either way, both feelings make him burn with a blush. It has been a solid month and several surgeries, and his knee still aches something like something fierce and vengeful. He’s lived long enough to know his body, if his knee hasn’t begun to heal by now, it never will.

He doesn’t think about it.

“It looks better in the dark? You sound like you’ve heard that one too many times.” Bly says slinging an arm around his shoulders and in defiance, he snaps at his tattooed brother’s fingers.

“You are in no position to talk about keeping a fantasy alive, you forget that I remember all those times you talked up blue Twi’leks at 79s all those years ago.” Rex shoots back.

Bly is tempted to push him over, he can see it in his eyes as he gives him a shit-eating grin. If he does he can pull the good ol’ “don’t harass the injured brother card”, but unfortunately Bly concedes and just thumps him on the shoulder instead, hard.

He pouts, his shoulder throbs now.

“Stow it, gentlemen, we are here on a business trip. I want everyone here on your best behaviours, so spew your insults about this place now while you still have the time.” Cody says with a sigh, typing on the main terminal of their yacht.

There are several moments of silence before Rex smirks and says with no inflection in his voice.

“79s wasn’t even that good.” Resulting in a wave of gasps and rebuttals as his brothers vehemently argue that yes, the notorious clone bar was the only good thing about Coruscant.

“I can’t believe our baby brother would say such blasphemous things, going to 79s was a rite of passage for us as shinnies!” Bacara says aghast.

“Was getting sucked off by clone groupies behind the bar part of the rite of passage as well?” Gree asks with a leer.

“I don’t know what kind of bar you were going too but my soul is with the Force and I will hold my peace knowing I am a pure man.” Neyo says holding his hand over his heart.

 _“The holos on your datapad said different, you do know that Coruscant Guard had access to every single connection going in and out of the GAR right, even the private ones.”_ Fox signs cuffing Neyo on the shoulder as his brother looks mildly horrified.

“Senate docking bay 5 this is the Crackshot, are we cleared to land?” Cody asks into the comm array and the rest of the bridge settles down as they all file into their seats.

“Clone ship Crackshot you are cleared to land, welcome back Commanders.” The connection cuts with a slight pop of static.

Joking aside Rex can admit he’s been filled to the brim with a nervous energy for if not all then the majority of the trip to Coruscant. They did just pack up and leave with no notice, leaving the galaxy to defend itself. On top of not being viewed as living breathing humans, the potential reception to their return has set his teeth on edge for the past several days. They wouldn’t really know what would happen until the deboarded, but the menial docking procedures seem to drag on forever and it just makes his anxiety worse.

Not to mention that he’s been aching to stretch his knee out for hours now, couldn’t exactly do any of his proper exercises when he would just bump into a brother every five feet.

The point is, he’s ready to get off the ship and to enjoy how actual light and fresh air feel. While how natural and fresh things are on Coruscant definitely raises some eyebrows, anything would be better than stale recycled air and fluorescent lighting at this point.

“Looks like we have a boarding party waiting for us, looks like I also owe Rex 50 credits, from the looks of it, Skywalker has spawned, twice. Either that or he has taken on two more apprentices.” Wolffe says forlornly looking down at the gathered crowd.

“I did tell you not to be against me, several times. I did play secret marriage keeper for at least a year.” Rex says as he holds out his hand expectantly.

The reality of Anakin having had children can wait until they’ve actually touched down. In the moment he nervously waits like the rest of his brothers to truly see how their return has been perceived. Really the only opinions that matter to him are the ones of the Jedi and a select few Senators but he knows that he will have the rest of the galaxy to impress as well.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Next chapter there'll be an awkward luncheon and an introduction to the birthright of the ruling Stewjon family


	5. Would you like to go for lunch?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> She could refuse, she's no one's messenger, she is a Duchess with mountains of work to complete, but her own curiosity wins out, tinged with a frustrating loyalty to her father.
> 
> “Who am I looking for? There are thousands of Jedi.” Áedh asks after her father collects himself.
> 
> “Obi-wan, you are searching for Obi-wan Kenobi.”

“Don’t look so nervous, it’s not like these men are strangers.” Anakin says nudging him slightly, he keeps his sigh internal, first off he isn’t nervous, second, the former Commanders just very well might be.

“Daddy, who’s on the ship?” Luke asks, he’s almost a spitting image of what Anakin had looked like all those years ago, while Leia seemed to take more after her mother, but only by looks. It has become obvious as to who the children take after as they develop their personalities.

“They’re the men we fought beside in the Clone wars, they left before you two were born but now you’ll be able to meet them, my Captain was probably the bravest man I ever knew.” Anakin explains, a look of awe fills Luke’s big blue eyes.

“Why did they leave?” Leia asks as she looks up at the silver ship currently docking.

“That is a complicated story to tell Leia, it will have to wait. I’m not exactly the best person to ask, you’ll have to ask Rex.” Anakin replies with a lopsided grimace, he doesn’t fault his former apprentice for not wanting to explain a decades-long plan to undermine the Jedi leading them to be vulnerable enough to be exterminated in a galaxy-wide genocide.

“Master, the chiefs are coming down the ramp.” Eteera says tapping him lightly on the arm to get his attention, she's right, the men are disembarking, getting closer and closer as each second passes and he has to bite the inside of his cheek to remain composed.

Seeing Cody over a hologram had been different, but now as he’s dressed in a regal uniform that is an artful combination of armour plating that gleams gold in the light and layers of embroidered silks and fine cotton fabrics accented with yellow. It’s difficult not to feel a heady rush of coy intrigue. The man cuts a figure none like any other he has seen before, even in the identical white armour he wore during the war stirred something deep in his gut every time he glanced upon his Commander. His feelings became undeniable and unignorable after that. He can admit that even before he had fallen for the man, seeing Cody suiting up got him hot and bothered under the collar.

Even as his distracting thoughts claw cloyingly at his consciousness, begging for attention, he can’t ignore another fact that is also glaringly obvious like his apparently re-awakened armour affixation.

It’s painfully awkward to see Cody again, it really is. He has no idea what to say, but it’s too late to think of some mundane to blurt out because Cody and Rex are within spitting distance and everyone else has already split off into their own groups for their own personal reunions, and he still doesn’t know what to say.

What do you say to your ex-partner that you had a secret affair with, only for him to dump you after discovering a genocidal plot but then come back 10 years later looking like finely aged wine with a beard and braids weaved into his hair.

“Now this gives me déjà vu, though I think the last time a youngling showed up unexpectedly we were in the middle of losing a battle.” Rex says with a smirk, and with that with the ice meticulously broken and the nervous tension starts to dissipate, thankfully it's no longer his job to make the first jump.

He doesn’t think asking “how have you been” would have been redeemable.

“I wasn’t that much of a youngling, I was 14 on Christophsis.” Ahsoka says with a huff, rolling her eyes sardonically before sobering slightly.

Rex must feel the shift within Ahsoka as well because he opens his one free arm and beckons her close, he still grunts as she makes an impact with his chest, but the sweet moment has broken the tension like water breaking through a damn.

“Alor Cody, it’s good to see you again.” It's better than nothing.

“Likewise, Master Kenobi, who’s the youngling?” Cody asks, much like Rex’s did all those years ago when Ahsoka had joined them as an initiate in an active war zone.

“This is my newly acquired Padawan learner, Eteera.” Obi-Wan motions and the young girl steps forward, bowing slightly.

“It is a pleasure to meet you Alor, I have read and heard about the great things you and Master Kenobi achieved to return peace in the galaxy.” Eteera says earnestly and he can see how Cody darkens under his beard.

“Well thank you Padawan Eteera, I have not met many Padawans in my time but I understand why Master Kenobi has chosen you to be his next student.” Cody replies and he can feel the flare of hopeful pride from the Togruta-Zabrak who smiles shyly at Cody.

They’re the only ones on the docking platform anymore, all other parties have long since moved elsewhere or are currently meandering away.

The coming awkwardness is going to be painfully clear if he doesn’t fill it soon with a distraction.

At a loss of how to swerve around his currently untouchable emotions, he blurts out the first thing that comes to mind.

“Would you like to go for lunch?” He immediately darkens with a blush that he hopes doesn’t show too obviously in the mid-morning sun.

“…Lunch?...I.. wouldn’t be against having something to eat, I am somewhat tired of eating the preserved ship foods…Is Dex’s still around?” Cody asks with a nervous chuckle as he rubs at his beard, and he has to clench his hands to stop himself from copying the motion.

“It is! Dex opened a second restaurant on the upper levels a few years ago!” Eteera states cheerfully before she clamps her mouth shut and a wave of embarrassment washes through the Force.

He’ll have to hammer in the point that it is okay to have her own thoughts and opinions, in a way he has a feeling that the young girl has been made to feel ashamed of having her own voice, a new challenge that is exactly the opposite of wrangling Anakin into a respectful silence every time he disagreed with a passing comment.

“Dex does make the food, I always found it was the only food I could stomach on Coruscant, things here always seem needlessly complicated or expensive. I swear I could sell ration cubes and doll them up with an extravagant backstory and I would be able to retire in a week.” Cody agrees and he huffs a laugh, the dry wit hasn’t left his Commander in all the years apart after all.

“Dex’s it is then. After we can get you settled into your accommodations, I believe Chancellor has prepared an itinerary for your stay, it seems you and the other Alor are quite popular.” Obi-Wan says with a teasing smile and Cody blows out a breath that tells him exactly how he feels about a month of endless bartering, debating and schmoozing with other politicians.

“You know me Master Kenobi, not one to miss out a grand entrance.” Cody says warily, and even if he doesn’t mean for his words to pierce him deeply, they still do and he keeps his grimace internal as he walks ahead of a couple of paces.

_But do I really know you?_

The thought is intrusive and unwanted but all the same, painfully close to the truth.

* * *

She lets the tears fall freely as her brother’s pyre is ignited on the emerald lake, her youngest brother is dead, killed playing the hero he had always wanted to be.

Her father would have berated her for such callous words, he would've said her brother had died in leading the people of Stewjon as a King against the attack on the vulnerable farm villages that dot the countryside, but her father is an old fool.

It’s his fault that Aoewin is dead, an old man too obsessed with tradition that he couldn’t see the obvious path to a peaceful allyship with their neighbouring planet, a planet that they’ve been at war with for as long as she can remember. She doesn’t know who she hates more, the Talnek for murdering her brother or her father for allowing this feud to go on for so long. Deep down she knows that grief had ripped all sense and sanity from her father the moment her mother was assassinated, her other sister had been right to abandon their planet that moment she saw that their father would never be the righteous man he once was, how tragic their family is.

Torn apart at the seams with not a single thing to remember the better times, how painfully alone she feels as she stands next to her stoic father who either won’t or can’t shed a single tear for his deceased son.

She tries to reach for better memories, so she can fall into better times. She remembers her mother’s flora perfume and shine of her armour in the sunlight, the flowers in her braids, how she had loved her father with the power of a thousand stars with enough love left over for her five children. How she had been a fierce warrior but an even fiercer advocate for peace.

She remembers Aoewin, the boy with too big of a heart and too big of a smile for his little body, her stupidly foolish brother who believed that he could bring peace to their planet singlehandedly. It isn’t fair, it’s not, she wants to scream.

“You must hate me.” Her father rumbles in his deep timber, as much as she wants to scream yes, that she would trade his life if it meant bringing Aoewin back in an instant...but. She won’t, for all his flaws and mistakes, he is still her father and she is all she has left.

Her mother is dead and the rest of her brothers and sisters fled to the stars the moment they saw the cracks forming in the foundations of their family. She wonders if they ever cared at all.

“I could never hate you, I am angry, my brother is dead from a wound that he should have never received in a battle he should have never been in. You know why I’m angry.” Áedh replies.

“I know…Áedh…you know what this means…” Her father says and she’s enraged by the fact that he thinks this is a good time to talk about politics while Aoewin still burns on the lake.

“No, absolutely not, I will not leave my position as Duchess of the Southern Hemisphere. My work is too important and you know this, the people cannot be left defenceless, you know this, you would have not made me Duchess otherwise.” Áedh replies angrily as she turns to the mighty King Kenobi as he stands impassively over her.

“I am not asking you to become the heir to the Northern throne…It is not your destiny…You have another brother, before your mother I had him with a woman I had loved in a different life. He was different, he was abhorred because of it and I made the decision to send him away….” Her father mumbles somewhat mournfully.

Now that's unexpected.

“Whatever became of him?” Áedh asks, reeling from hearing that she’s had a brother that she’s never met before.

“He became a Jedi Master in the Coruscant Order, he is the only heir left capable of taking the throne once I pass, I am old Áedh, we both know I do not have decades and decades to spare. A Jedi could bring us peace for the first time in years…” Her father explains and he’s right, of course he’s right, but he wouldn’t have brought up her long-lost brother if he didn’t need something from her.

“What does this have to do with me?” Áedh asks warily.

“It has everything to do with you because you are going to Coruscant to deliver a message to him, it is time that he takes on the responsibility of his birthright.” Her father says harshly before falling into a fit of coughs, she can’t tell if it’s the ash or his age that causes the coughs.

She could refuse, she's no one's messenger, she is a Duchess with mountains of work to complete, but her own curiosity wins out, tinged with a frustrating loyalty to her father.

“Who am I looking for? There are thousands of Jedi.” Áedh asks after her father collects himself.

“Obi-wan, you are searching for Obi-wan Kenobi.”


	6. Bumper-Pod Derby

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> He had broken the man’s heart by leaving, he had ground it into dust by never even sending him a note telling him he was alive, and that they have long since passed the time where they could ever salvage what they had.

“Here, we are your home away from home for your stay on Coruscant. After you Alor.” Kit says as he pushes in the double doors of Rex’s temporary apartment, it’s an artfully decorated living space and he’s honestly glad Chancellor Organa had a better style décor sense than Palpatine ever did.

The few times he did step into the living space of the Senators’ the deep rich reds splattered on every wall always made it feel like they were seconds away from caving in, making each room dark and oppressive.

No wonder so many politicians turned to corruption, they had to afford redecoration costs somehow.

As much as he does find Coruscant distasteful, it is slightly more tolerable with his little corner that he can set up camp in. The light lavender paint on the walls and cream coloured carpets are similar enough to his own house that if he squints he can fool himself into thinking that he could just step out onto his balcony and stare at the endless ocean that stretches across the horizon, that is until the sound of speeder traffic knocks him out of his fantasy.

“Thank you, Master Jedi. I’ll have to send the Chancellor flowers, he’s really outdone himself with the accommodations.” Rex mumbles as drifts around the apartment.

“You and the other Alor deserve no less with the service you dedicated to the Republic, it would be bad showing on his part if he bullied Titaenama into an allyship through pour treatment. While I’ve never been one for endless political discussions, the Republic Senate has definitely made a shift for the better after Chancellor Organa had been voted into office.” Kit tells him as he beckons him over to the low-slung coffee table that sits before a dark blue couch, a caf table that also apparently functions as a holodesk.

“So, if I’m translating right, the Senate is a place of professionalism now where actual work is accomplished rather than corrupted politicians taunting each other from their hover pods? If I am being honest Master Jedi, I am still surprised to this day that they had refrained themselves from ever starting a bumper-pod derby.” Rex replies and Kit laughs jovially at the imagery.

“Only by the finest strand of hair were they able to control themselves I’m sure. Chancellor Organa has truly brought in a new age of politics to the Senate with the help of Speaker Amidala.” Kit tells him, he’ll have to quiz her about her new promotion once they wrangle themselves enough to bring him dinner later tonight.

Maybe he should have brought several more datapads than the eight he did bring, knowing half of them will just be catch-up notes on what he’s missed while he had left his day job of Anakin wrangling to the galaxy.

He wonders if Anakin will really cook or if he’ll show up with mountains of order-out food, his mouth waters at either scenario. He had forgotten how bad extended space travel food had actually been, and his mouth still feels coarse from all the salty dried food he ingested. He remembers eating it during the war but he doesn’t ever remember enjoying mealtime for the food.

“Hopefully with a more honourable leader as the head of the Senate, the Jedi are no longer worked to the bone? I definitely heard enough from Anakin to know that when they called you had little choice in drawing any boundaries.” Rex asks, the Nautolan in front of his doesn’t look or sound physically tired but Jedi are notorious for masking physical ailments.

Wartime always meant a different context for even the smallest of actions and their reasoning behind them. But no planets are on the brink of destruction or threatened with extinction by battle droids, there would always be conflict in the galaxy, it’s too vast for every single star to be at peace but now he hopes, maybe the Jedi could have the time to take care of their own first before they went off to heal the galaxy. Jango’s bones knew that they were probably the ones that needed the most healing with the how the war had almost ruined them.

“Thankfully the Chancellor had scrapped every single jurisdiction the Senate had over the Jedi Order, we’ve been functioning as our own independent body for several years now. It’s aided us greatly in solving injustices we could not touch before, as well as negotiating fair forms of treatment for our members all throughout major planetary systems.” Kit tells him, he sighs in relief as he shuffles closer to the Jedi to see just what he could access on his holodesk.

He Steadfastly ignores a large file labelled _political itinerary_ for other less intimidating articles and files that have been set up for him. He will look at that with a few drinks in his stomach first. He’s not ready to groan and moan over negotiations just yet.

“Well Master Jedi, forgive me for saying this as I know you have committed to a life where you protect and nurture every sentient life, but fate’s timing always seems to be right when spacecraft explosions need to occur.” Rex says dryly as tilts his head.

“With Force as my witness I do not know of the words you speak, no slander towards a certain off-putting former Chancellor has occurred in this room, only good things are said here.” Kit replies with a cheeky smile and Rex snorts and shakes his head.

They sit together for a few moments in silence as he pretends to be looking at the reports as the holo news plays as a dull noise in the background. He knows that he can’t even lie to himself and say that he isn’t dedicating a lot of mental energy on trying not to stare at Kit’s open collar or how the blue and silver bands shimmer in the light. The Jedi Master has always looked good, the fact had been a teasing point to jab at Monnk that never got old, who could focus on the battle at hand when you had a Jedi carved from flawless marble that looks like he’s walked out of a holo-movie set.

Which brings him back to a reality where said Jedi coughs slightly and shifts like he’s trying to act nonchalant and he realizes that, just maybe, his mental shielding has not held up after ten years of letting the skill get purposefully rusty, and that maybe he projecting his thoughts a little too loudly.

Burning under the collar he desperately tries to think of something that can draw away from the fact that he was thinking in-depth about peeling the Jedi Master’s robes back. Just because he hasn’t had a good lay in a while doesn’t mean he can project his sexually frustrated thoughts on the Jedi who has been nothing but warm and welcoming to him. _Quick, think about, guns or something, something clone-like._

“So other than the former Chancellor going up in flames in dead space, has there been anything else that has happened in the galaxy that may make our lives harder? We have been living under a rock for the past ten years and I’d rather not offend the next politician on the highest level because I didn’t greet him properly.” Rex says as he leans back on the couch to avoid making direct eye contact with Kit Fisto and his deep V-neck, which begs the question, when did it become a collar to just two strips of fabric held together by sheer will power?

Which begs another question, is it a Force-user thing to just never wear any clothes? It was either that or stripping and or losing their clothes at any opportunity. He’s still not sure if cybernetic legs count as pants, the vote is still undecided, which definitely means that Maul ran around naked for 6 months before Death Watch slapped clothes on him, even if the shirt barely counted as a shirt, at least they gave him pants.

“Hmmm, how much of your sanity you would like to retain today?” Kit says with a laugh and he joins in with his own.

“Well, the other Commanders and I were able to build a functioning society without killing each other midway through so I don’t know if that says I lost my sanity at least 8 years back or I have the control of Master Windu asking why Anakin has pulled the singular stunt he was told not to.” Rex replies and the other man sighs, he has been on the Council for years and had probably been in many of those ‘Anakin just because you can, doesn’t mean you should’ meetings.

“Well, I guess I can start with the several, painfully awkward negotiations and debates to reform the CIS and Republic…” Kit says teasingly.

“Oh, please tell me there had to be one fistfight.” Rex says gleefully and Kit’s grin only widens.

* * *

“So…What’s her story?” Cody asks as he looks to the bar where Eteera is currently enthralled with some sort of tale Dex is telling her.

“I’m not quite sure what you mean Alor, Master Windu had asked me personally if I would be interested in taking on another student, after meeting her I knew that she could flourish as a Padawan. Ahsoka doesn’t require my guidance the same way she did when she was a Padawan and Anakin is no longer Jedi, I thought it was about time that I pass my knowledge onto the younger generation.” Obi-wan tells him, the use of his official title makes him cringe. A part of him had hoped that they could still be cordial with each other, he knows he’s not here to reignite a relationship that’s been dead in the water for ten years, but the distance he knows Obi-Wan is purposefully putting between them still feels ice-cold.

Hopefully, he can win the man over by the end of the month, even before they had fallen headfirst into their relationship Obi-Wan had been a trusted confidant. Someone who he could work silently with for hours, someone who just who he could trust with his men, he had been someone that had cared for each one of them like someone would for their own blood brother.

His actions meant more when he kept reaffirming that they were living breathing men worthy of everything he had to give.

“You know you can call me Cody, Maser Kenobi.” Cody mumbles into his glass and with the way he frowns he knows he’s going to Alor for the rest of his stay.

He wonders how reluctantly Obi-Wan agreed to this role, the thought hurts more than it should, everything is as it should be, he keeps telling himself that. But his dammed heart still yearns for those stolen moments, where it just been them and the stars, the late nights where they could pretend that life had been different, in a way. He knows Obi-Wan would not wish to be anything else than a Jedi, while he may be tempted, he knows that Obi-Wan could never fully dedicate himself to taking a selfish path in life, he could never see himself in a life where he didn’t help others.

He knew that he was no different, Obi-Wan would never be selfish for him, the Jedi had lovers and partners that he had bled for far before he had even decanted that he could have left the Jedi order for, but he hadn’t, he had stayed true every single time.

Maybe he was the one who had done all the wishing, when you’re property you can wish about a lot of things and hope with your entire heart that one day they’ll come true…. Now he has everything he could have hoped for, but the man he had wished would be by his side is miles and miles away as he looks at him with a bland politeness.

“I do believe those days are behind us, and I think it would be better for us both if we maintained a professional relationship. Ten years is a long time and things have changed, and I don’t think you would have ever contacted me again if Titaenama had not made a bid for a seat in the New Republic. I understand why you left, I have made peace with your departure, I have made peace with your absence and I have made peace with the ten years of silence. We are different men and our paths no longer align, as unfortunate as that may be, it is simply the truth.” Obi-Wan replies and he can only nod his head in response as the Jedi continues to stare at him with the same painfully blank expressions, he hears Obi-Wan’s words loud and clear.

He had broken the man’s heart by leaving, he had ground it into dust by never even sending him a note telling him he was alive, and that they have long since passed the time where they could ever salvage what they had.

It shouldn’t hurt as much as it does but hearing the man say it to his face, well, it’s a heart wrench ten years in the making that he should have seen coming. In a way, under the hurt he’s glad Obi-wan has put his foot down, he came here to ensure his brother’s and his planet’s protection in the galaxy, not to chase down an old lover. He needs to stay true to his goal, and now he has one less distraction to worry about.

That is only if his heart and his mind would stop fighting for dominance within his body with a viciousness that makes his chest ache.

**Author's Note:**

> Tell me ya thoughts! <3


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